Shift device for positioning single element type carriers on typewriters and like machines

ABSTRACT

A range shiftable motion transmitting connection between a single element type carrier and a drive lever positionable by differential mechanism to any of n discrete positions permits positioning of the type carrier to 2(n-1) discrete type carrier positions through utilization of a translating lever responsive to movement of said drive lever through first and second ranges of positioning movement according to the relative positions of said levers. The levers are shifted relative to one another whenever the drive lever, after having moved to one extreme position, is moved to its other extreme position.

United States Patent [1 1 Decker SHIFT DEVICE FOR POSITIONING SINGLEELEMENT TYPE CARRIERS ON TYPEWRITERS AND LIKE MACHINES [75] Inventor:Herbert Decker, Lauf, Germany [73] Assignee: Triumph Werke NuernbergA.G.,

Nuernberg, Germany [22] Filed: Mar. 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 124,017

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 17, 1970 Germany P 20 18418.3

[52] U.S. Cl 197/16, 197/48, 178/34 [51] Int. Cl B4lj 23/02 [58] Fieldof Search 197/12, 13, 14, 16, 197/18, 19, 20, 48, 49, 52, 55, 71, 72,158;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,516,528 6/1970 Davidge etal 197/16 July 17, 1973 3,467,233 9/1969 .lablonski 197/16 3,349,88810/1967 Page 197/158 2,847,105 8/1958 Carroll 197/16 3,517,124 6/1970Rekewitz et al. 178/34 3,625,331 12/1971 Waldenburger et al. 197/18Primary ExaminerErnest T. Wright, Jr. Att0rneyJoseph R. Spalla [57]ABSTRACT A range shiftable motion transmitting connection between asingle element type carrier and a drive lever positionable bydifferential mechanism to any of n discrete positions permitspositioning of the type carrier to 2(n-1) discrete type carrierpositions through utilization of a translating lever responsive tomovement of said drive lever through first and second ranges of positioning movement according to the relative positions of said levers. Thelevers are shifted relative to one another whenever the drive lever,after having moved to one extreme position, is moved to its otherextreme position.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented July 17, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR HERBERT DECKER v v 7 7 BY (W K Sp ATTORNEY Patented July 17,1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 2 0 o o 0 0 M I O O O O O O M T 5 T Z 2 P P P WP P M F P P R H H E S V s E L INVENTOR HERBERT DECKER ATTORNEY SHIFTDEVICE FOR POSITIONING SINGLE ELEMENT TYPE CARRIERS ON TYPEWRITERS ANDLIKE MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to ashiftable motion transmitting connection for positioning single elementtype carriers with several characters, or a type carrier shaped like aspherical body on the surface of which the characters are arranged invertical rows (columns) and horizontal rows for the use on typewritersand similar machines.

With typewriters and similar machines it is often necessary to increasethe amount of characters available for printing. Especially on aprinter, which is used as an output device for billing machines andsimilar data processing equipment, it is often necessary to have specialcharacters available which, although they can be arranged on the typecarrier, require for their activation an entirely different arrangementof differential mechanism.

Positioning mechanisms for cylindrical, spherical, and prism shaped typecarriers on printers and especially for automatic printers andteletypers are known. To position such type carriers in order to print acharacter, two different motions are required which in most cases areperformed at the same time. In the case of a cylindrical type carrier arotational motion is required to select the character from a verticalcolumn and an axial motion to select the character from a horizontalrow. To perform these positioning motions differential mechanisms areused which are known in several executions. Most of these differentialmechanisms are arranged in such a way that with a given amount of inputor calling members, which are activated in different combinations, agiven amount of different motions are generated at the output of themechanism. To position a character in one vertical column and positionthe correct horizontal row, two separate differential mechanisms are, inmost cases, used whereby the amount of calling or input elements isexactly related to the amount of characters or character rows. Forexample, with a type carrier having 64 characters arranged on itssurface in four rows with 16 characters in each row, the calling for theselection of one row of four can be achieved with two solenoids and theselection of a character out of 16 from the row selected can be achievedwith four solenoids. It is obvious therefore that for the creation ofvarious motions for positioning a type carrier only as many inputmembers as are actually necessary are used. It is therefore not possiblewith printers of this kind to increase the amount of charactersavailable for printing without far reaching changes in the design of theinput member selection and differential mechanism. There is therefore nopossibility to use a type carrier with more than, for instance, fourrows of characters when the output of the differential mechanismprovides only four positions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is, without changesin the differential mechanism and calling or input members as anassembly unit, to provide for the selection of characters from a largeramount of characters and to position them for printing. By the additionof a shiftable connection as described in the example of execution ofthe invention, it is possible to use a type carrier with six verti-BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an isometric view of theshiftable connection to position a sphere shaped type carrier;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the shiftable connection in a I stable positiondifferent from the position shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a table indicating energized combinations of input elements ofa differential mechanism as can move a drive lever to n positions whichare translated into 2 (nl) output positions of a column selector lever.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a sphere shaped typecarrier 1 consisting of two parts on the surface of which six verticalcolumns of characters 2 are arranged. The type carrier 1 is mounted on ashaft 3 which also carries a gear 4 in engagement with a rack 5 which isguided by aroller 6. The rack 5, which serves to create the rotationalmotion of the type carrier 1 about shaft 3, is only shown in principaland is not necessary for the description of the instant invention.

The type carrier 1 is mounted on a fork 7 which is fastened to thecarrier tube 8 at the lower end of which a crank 9 is provided which hasa guide slot 10. The carrier tube 8 with the type carrier 1 is mountedon a carriage 11, which is not fully shown, in a known fashion in frontof a platen cylinder and can move laterally .or is fixed when used witha platen cylinder mounted in a movable carriage. Also fastened to thecarriage 11 .is an outwardly directed mounting stud or pivot 12 carryinga drive lever 13 and a translating lever 14. As viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2drive lever 13 has a forked guide 15 on the end of its rightwardlyextending lever arm, into which the output member of a differentialmechanism (not shown) fits, and also has a grooved stud l6extending'outwardly therefrom. The drive lever 13 carries on its outeror leftward extending lever arm, adjacent the end thereof, an outwardextending mounting stud 17, and is also provided, between pivot 12 andstud 17, with an enlarged hole or vertical slot 18. The translatinglever 14, which is also mounted on the mounting stud 12 so that it canrotate, has a grooved stud 19 extending outward from its rightwardextending arm and a leftward open slot 20 in the end of its leftwardextending arm. The translating lever 14 is shaped like a bridge tosupport a lever 21 with a ball 22 formed on it. The ball 22 isaccommodated in the guide slot 10 to thereby rotate the tube 8 to movethe type carrier 1 to a selected one of six columns. In the grooves ofthe stud 16 of the drive lever 13 and the closely adjacent stud 19 ofthe translating lever 14, the ends of a coiled torsion spring 23 aremounted. A shift lever 24 is pivotally mounted between its ends on themounting stud l7 and secured with an E-ring 25 for movement in a planeparallel to and outwardly of the planes of movement of the drive lever13 and the translating lever 14. The shift lever 24 carries an eccentricbolt 26 on its rightward extending end the stud 27 of which reachesinward into the elongated hole 18 and the eccentric portion 28 of whichrests in the slot 20 of the translating lever 14. By using a nut 29 anda screw slot 30, the eccentric 28 can be adjusted. Rollers 31 aremounted on the shift lever 24 which rests between the stops 32,33 of acarrier 34 which is mounted to the carriage 11 with screws 35.

As FIG. 1 shows, a differential mechanism (not shown) positions thedrive lever 13 to n or four different positions I, II, III and IV fromwhich 2(n-1) or six different positions P1 to P6 of lever 21 can begenerated. According to the table shown in FIG. 3 two solenoidsidentified by reference M1 and M2 comprising the differential mechanismare used to generate movements which position the drive lever 13 to anyone of the four positions I-IV. Thus, e.g., with only M] energized thedifferential mechanism will move the drive lever 13 to position I; withboth M1 and M2 energized and the differential mechanism will move thedrive lever 13 to position II; with neither M1 or M2 energized thedifferential mechanism will move the drive lever 13 to position III; andwith only M2 energized the differential mechanism will move the drivelever 13 to position IV. By use of a shiftable connection between thedrive lever 13 and the carrier tube 8 according to the invention, it ispossible to obtain six different output positions P1 to P6 of lever 21thereby to position the type carrier 1 to six different vertical columnswith only the four positions of the drive lever 13. The six positions oflever 21 are obtainable by changing or shifting the relative positionsof the drive lever 13 and the translating lever 14 from one to anotherof two stable conditions. This occurs, with the help of overcenteringspring 23 and shift lever 24 as will hereinafter appear, whenever thedrive lever 13, after having moved to one extreme position in a range ofn-1 positions moves to the other extreme position. This shifting therebyprovides for movement of the lever arm 21 within two ranges each having(n-l) or three positions corresponding to two ranges of (n1) or threepositions I, II and III and IV, III and II, respectively of drive lever13.

More particularly and with reference to FIG. 3 the position marked I ofthe drive lever 13 in FIG. 1 corresponds with the position P1 of theball lever 21 and 22. From this position, the drive lever 13 can bemoved into the positions II and III by means of the differentialmechanism (not shown), causing the lever 21 and ball 22 to move into thecorresponding positions P2 and P3. In order to move the lever 21 andball 22, which represent the output member, into the position P6 thesolenoid M2 is activated according to the table (FIG. 3). This causesthe forked member of the drive lever 13 to move from one of thepositions in the range I to III, e.g., III into the position IV and thiscauses a shift of the translating lever 14 relative to the drive lever13 into another possible and stable condition shown in FIG. 2. The shiftof the translating lever 14 relative to drive lever 13 is caused by thefact that the roller 31 which is mounted on the shift lever 24 comes torest against the lower stop 33 of the member 34 while the drive lever 13is moving to position IV and thereby causes the shift lever 24 to moveclockwise about stud 17, with the result that the translating lever- 14is moved counterclockwise by the eccentric portion 28 of stud 27. Whilethis happens, the torsion spring 23 goes beyond its tension pointcausing the translating lever 14 to rotate further counterclockwise tothe FIG. 2 position at which stud 27, which normally transmits themotion of the drive lever 13 to the translating and shift levers 14 and24, rests at the other end of the elongated hole 18 in the drive lever13. Thus, when the drive lever 13 moves, e.g., from position III toposition IV, the lever 21 and ball 22 jumps three positions, from P3over P4 and PS to P6. From this P6 position it is possible to generatethe other positions P5 and P4 at the translating lever 14 as the drivelever 13 and the translating lever 14 are stable again relative to eachother. More particularly these positions correspond with the positionsIII and II in the range IV, III and II of positions of the drive lever13. Thus in the shifted position of the drive lever 13 and thetranslating lever 14 as shown in FIG. 2 there are new again a range(n-l) of three P4, P5 and P6, of different positions availablecorresponding to the range II, III and IV of positions of drive lever13. In order to get back into the first range of positions P1, P2 and P3to position the vertical columns of characters in the left area of thetype carrier 1 another shift is required which is achieved by movementof the roller 31 against the upper stop 32 incident to movement of drivelever 13 to position I. Again the drive lever 13 will move one distance,e.g., from position II, corresponding to output position P4 to positionI while the lever 21 and ball 22 mounted on the translating lever 14will jump three positions from the output position P4 to the outputposition P1.

Through the shiftable connection according to the invention, it ispossible to increase considerably the amount of characters which can bepositioned at a type carrier without changing the differential mechanismand the calling elements, e.g., solenoids, clutches, etc. The system isnot limited to generate six mechanism positions out of four but can justas well be used to generate for instance fourteen mechanism positionsout of eight. The principle to use a shiftable connection to positionthe whole system into a different area remains the same. As can be seenfrom the above, it is possible to save in this way a lot of costly partsand it is furthermore possible by small changes to adapt existingprinters in such a way that as a result a considerable amount ofadditional characters can be used for printing. In the example accordingto the invention, the amount of characters are increased from 64 to 96.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a printing machine having a single element type carrier on whichcolumns of type characters are arranged in two areas, each of which hasn-l columns,

a drive lever movable to n positions,

translating lever means connected to said drive lever for movementthereby,

said translating lever means being shiftable to one or another stableposition relative to said drive lever whenever said drive lever afterhaving been moved to one extreme position is moved to the other extremeposition, said translating lever means in one stable position beingmovable with said drive lever through a first range of n-l positionscorresponding to a range of n-l positions of said drive lever whichincludes said one extreme position of said drive lever, and in saidother stable position being movable by said drive lever through a secondrange of n] positions corresponding to a range of n-l positions of saiddrive lever which includes said other extreme position of said drivelever, 9 and means connected to said translating lever means to positiona selected column of type characters corresponding to one of said 2(n-l) positions. 2. In a printing machine having a single element typecarrier in which columns of type are arranged in two areas,

a drive lever having a range of n positions includingfirst and secondlimit positions,

a translating lever connected to position said type carrier,

means connecting said drive and translating levers whereby movement ofsaid drive lever through a first range of n-l positions, which includessaid first limit position, will carry the translating lever through acorresponding first range of n-l positions, and movement of said drivelever beyond said first range of positions to said second limit positioncauses relative movement of said drive and translating levers wherebymovement of said drive lever thereafter through a second range ofpositions, which includes said second limit position, will carry thetranslating lever through a second corresponding range of n-l positions,each of said 2 (n-l) positions corresponding to a column of type in saidtwo areas.

3. In a printing machine having a single element type carrier on whichcolumns of type characters are arranged in two areas, each of which hasn-1 columns,

a drive lever positionable to any of n positions,

a translating lever connected to and movable in response to drive levermovement to position a selected column within one or the other of saidareas on said type element from which a type character may be positionedfor printing,

means connecting said drive and translating levers whereby, wheneversaid drive lever after having been moved to one extreme position movesto another extreme position, the position of said translatin g lever isshifted relative to said drive lever and is thereafter movable therebythrough one or another range, according respectively to the relativepositions of said drive and translating levers, of n-l positionscorresponding to columns within said areas of said type carrier,

and means connecting said translating lever to said type carrier.

4. A machine-as recited in claim 3 wherein said drive and translatinglevers are mounted on a common pivot, and wherein said means connectingsaid drive and translating levers comprises a torsion spring connectedbetween said drive and translating levers operative to maintain and toshift their relative positions whenever said'drive lever after havingmoved to one extreme position moves to another extreme position.

5. A machine as recited in .claim 4 wherein said means connecting saiddrive and translating levers includes a shift lever pivoted on saiddrive lever and movable toward an abutment whenever said drive leverafter having moved to one extreme position moves to another extremeposition thereby to shift the positions of said drive and translatinglevers relative to one another, said shift lever having a connectionwith said translating lever.

6. In a typewriter having a single element type carrier havingcharacters arranged in columns and rows and positionable to present acharacter opposite a printing position,

a drive lever positionable to n positions, means connected to said typecarrier movable to 2 (n-l positions to position one of 2 (nl columns ofcharacters on said type carrier opposite a printing point in response tomovement of said drive lever comprising,

a translating lever,

and means including a torsion spring connecting said drive andtranslating levers and operative to hold said drive and translatinglevers'for movement together through one or another of two ranges ofmovement, each of said ranges corresponding to n-l columns of characterson said type carrier,

said means connecting said translating and drive levers being operativeto switch the positions of said drive and translating levers relative toone another for operation together thereafter through one or the otherrange of movement when, after movement of said drive lever to one of itsextreme positions, said drive lever is moved to itsother extremeposition.

7. In a typewriter as recited in claim 6 wherein said drive andtranslating levers are pivoted between their ends on a common fixedpivot rod,

a pivot stud extending from one end of said drive lever,

a switching lever pivoted intermediate its ends on said pivot stud,

a drive stud on one end of said switching lever engaged with saidtranslating lever to transmit the motion of said drive lever to saidtranslating lever,

and abutments positioned to block movement of said switching leverthereby to cause relative movement of said drive and translating leversby said torsion spring incident to movement of said drive lever to oneextreme position after having previously been moved to its other extremeposition, and

slot in said drive lever for reception of said drive st'ud to limit therelative movement of said drive and translating levers.

8. In a printing machine having a single element type carrier providedwith 2 (n-l) columns of characters,

means for moving said type'carrier to any of said columns,

a drive lever movable to n positions,

and means connecting said drive lever to said carrier moving means toposition columns within one or another discrete range of n-] columns,

said connecting means being movable through oneior the other discreterange .of n-l positions according to the last movement of said drivelever from one to the other extreme of said n positions.

1. In a printing machine having a single element type carrier on whichcolumns of type characters are arranged in two areas, each of which hasn-1 columns, a drive lever movable to n positions, translating levermeans connected to said drive lever for movement thereby, saidtranslating lever means being shiftable to one or another stableposition relative to said drive lever whenever said drive lever afterhaving been moved to one extreme position is moved to the other extremeposition, said translating lever means in one stable position beingmovable with said drive lever through a first range of n-1 positionscorresponding to a range of n-1 positions of said drive lever whichincludes said one extreme position of said drive lever, and in saidother stable position being movable by said drive lever through a secondrange of n-1 positions corresponding to a range of n-1 positions of saiddrive lever which includes said other extreme position of said drivelever, and means connected to said translating lever means to position aselected column of type characters corresponding to one of said 2 (n-1)positions.
 2. In a printing machine having a single element type carrierin which columns of type are arranged in two areas, a drive lever havinga range of n positions including first and second limit positions, atranslating lever connected to position said type carrier, meansconnecting said drive and translating levers whereby movement of saiddrive lever through a first range of n-1 positioNs, which includes saidfirst limit position, will carry the translating lever through acorresponding first range of n-1 positions, and movement of said drivelever beyond said first range of positions to said second limit positioncauses relative movement of said drive and translating levers wherebymovement of said drive lever thereafter through a second range ofpositions, which includes said second limit position, will carry thetranslating lever through a second corresponding range of n-1 positions,each of said 2 (n-1) positions corresponding to a column of type in saidtwo areas.
 3. In a printing machine having a single element type carrieron which columns of type characters are arranged in two areas, each ofwhich has n-1 columns, a drive lever positionable to any of n positions,a translating lever connected to and movable in response to drive levermovement to position a selected column within one or the other of saidareas on said type element from which a type character may be positionedfor printing, means connecting said drive and translating leverswhereby, whenever said drive lever after having been moved to oneextreme position moves to another extreme position, the position of saidtranslating lever is shifted relative to said drive lever and isthereafter movable thereby through one or another range, accordingrespectively to the relative positions of said drive and translatinglevers, of n-1 positions corresponding to columns within said areas ofsaid type carrier, and means connecting said translating lever to saidtype carrier.
 4. A machine as recited in claim 3 wherein said drive andtranslating levers are mounted on a common pivot, and wherein said meansconnecting said drive and translating levers comprises a torsion springconnected between said drive and translating levers operative tomaintain and to shift their relative positions whenever said drive leverafter having moved to one extreme position moves to another extremeposition.
 5. A machine as recited in claim 4 wherein said meansconnecting said drive and translating levers includes a shift leverpivoted on said drive lever and movable toward an abutment whenever saiddrive lever after having moved to one extreme position moves to anotherextreme position thereby to shift the positions of said drive andtranslating levers relative to one another, said shift lever having aconnection with said translating lever.
 6. In a typewriter having asingle element type carrier having characters arranged in columns androws and positionable to present a character opposite a printingposition, a drive lever positionable to n positions, means connected tosaid type carrier movable to 2 (n-1) positions to position one of 2(n-1) columns of characters on said type carrier opposite a printingpoint in response to movement of said drive lever comprising, atranslating lever, and means including a torsion spring connecting saiddrive and translating levers and operative to hold said drive andtranslating levers for movement together through one or another of tworanges of movement, each of said ranges corresponding to n-1 columns ofcharacters on said type carrier, said means connecting said translatingand drive levers being operative to switch the positions of said driveand translating levers relative to one another for operation togetherthereafter through one or the other range of movement when, aftermovement of said drive lever to one of its extreme positions, said drivelever is moved to its other extreme position.
 7. In a typewriter asrecited in claim 6 wherein said drive and translating levers are pivotedbetween their ends on a common fixed pivot rod, a pivot stud extendingfrom one end of said drive lever, a switching lever pivoted intermediateits ends on said pivot stud, a drive stud on one end of said switchInglever engaged with said translating lever to transmit the motion of saiddrive lever to said translating lever, and abutments positioned to blockmovement of said switching lever thereby to cause relative movement ofsaid drive and translating levers by said torsion spring incident tomovement of said drive lever to one extreme position after havingpreviously been moved to its other extreme position, and a slot in saiddrive lever for reception of said drive stud to limit the relativemovement of said drive and translating levers.
 8. In a printing machinehaving a single element type carrier provided with 2 (n-1) columns ofcharacters, means for moving said type carrier to any of said columns, adrive lever movable to n positions, and means connecting said drivelever to said carrier moving means to position columns within one oranother discrete range of n-1 columns, said connecting means beingmovable through one or the other discrete range of n-1 positionsaccording to the last movement of said drive lever from one to the otherextreme of said n positions.